The Long Awaited Burden
by Crimson-abuse
Summary: Two years after sasuke's death, sakura is forced to come to terms with the deal that she had made, but he is going to make her work for it. She dosen't know if she is doing it for sasuke, or Itachi himself. But what if the burden is too much?


Chapter 1

A crimson-Abuse production

**Prologue**

I stood over a large grave. My heard bowed, my eyes boring no emotion. It was over. My life…my world. How could a man who I centered my life around just die? How could he leave me to fend for myself? I heard thunder crackle in the distance; an empty smirk came to my lips. How ironic, I was standing over the grave of the man I once loved, only to have it rain. I shook my head. I had yet to shed a tear over my fallen comrade, and I planned to keep it that way.

My long pink hair was pulled back into a ponytail, strands of hair had fallen lose and were framing my face. I wore black shorts and a red tank top, no weapons. This wasn't smart on my end, since I could be attacked at any moment. But I didn't care; I didn't care if an enemy came up behind her, plunging a sharp kunai though my heart, leaving me to die in a pool of my own blood. I knew I wouldn't feel anything. I was already dead.

I scanned the stone with my jade eyes."Sasuke, Uchiha…" I read while shaking my head shamefully. "Idiotic bastard." I chuckled. What he had done caused him to die...his stupid…stupid choice...caused him to kill me as well.

I subconsciously brought my hand to my torso, running my fingers of the scare that would forever brand me, as the all too fresh memories entered my mind.

"I don't get it…" stated Naruto blankly. "So…we don't want to kill him? We just want them to think we killed him, so they don't kill him…because we are actually trying to save him?" he shook his head. "Why don't we just kill_ them_?"

I slapped my hand to my forehead. _Could this mission get any worse?_ I _mean really_! "Naruto, if we don't have to fight them, then we aren't going to!"I growled. "Our mission is far from over, so if we use up all our chakra and strength now, it could prove to be bad later on." I explained slowly. I watched as his face went blank, then it lit up.

"Ok so we are going to kill him so we don't lose our strength!" he stood up from his position on the ground and turned to an old man sitting beside him. "Ok old man, I don't really know why I'm going to do this, but it's my mission! So prepare to die!" he screamed while raising a kunai above his head.

"Naruto holy shit!"I dived towards him over the fire, just as he was about to plunge the kunai into the poor mans chest. "WE ARENT REALLY GOING TO KILL HIM YOU STUPID MORON!" I hissed, while slapping him upside the head.

I twitched. "God, I swear your brain is the size of a fucking grain of sand!"

I leaned back and sighed. Seeing the old man glaring at Naruto, I was glad he had lost the ability to talk as a child, cause there was no way he could possibly have anything good to say.

I ran a hand though my hair, closing my eyes. This was only a B ranked mission and already it was proving harmful to her sanity. I could hear Naruto shift into a sitting position, recovering from my attack. I opened my eyes to see him starring into the fire intensely. What he was thinking about, I had no idea.

I looked around the dark forest that sheltered us; the sky was growing darker by the second. I hoped Sasuke would come back soon, I wasn't sure if I could handle this for much longer. I had spent the last hour trying to explain this simple mission to him, but he just wasn't catching on…at all.

Over the years I had gotten much stronger, both physically and mentally. I no longer cried when things got tough. Instead, I would channel that fear into anger, making me stronger. Tsunade had taught me most of what she knows, causing me, Sakrua Haruno to rival her strength. I knew that she was proud, I knew everyone was, maybe even a little surprised.

This mission was just a little something Tsunade had come up with on her own for us. She wanted us to get out of the village for a while on a real mission, together. Since I was always busy in the hospital and Naruto was always training with jiraiya, Sasuke alone.

It turned out that this poor man had sold information on some organization to stone. Causing them to lash out and try to kill him. I couldn't blame them; I would have done the same thing. He said that there were merely a bunch of thieves, nothing to worry about. So I figured this mission would go pretty smoothly.

I heard a rustle in the bushes to my left, I didn't bother to jump up and get all huffy, because I knew it was Sasuke. He had just sent a wave of his charka towards us; it was obvious to pick up. This left me wondering why Naruto was now throwing shuriken towards him, screaming at the intruder.

I honestly couldn't bring myself to yell at him, the look on Sasuke's face told me he would get a beating of his own, which was well deserved.

"What? Sasuke bastard what the hell do you think your doing snooping around in the bushes?" he threw his hands in the air and laughed darkly. "Can you believe this joker Sakrua? I mean even I'm not _that_ stupid! I could have killed-"

Before he could finish though, he was laying flat on the ground, a large bump on his head.

Sasuke turned to see me standing above him. "Be quite you idiot, someone's coming." I was answered with a moan from Naruto. Maybe I shouldn't have hit him so hard… I heard a small hiss from behind me as Sasuke dumped a bucket of water on the fire, the area around us growing darker.

He stepped forward. "Ok Sakrua, I want you to stay with the old man while Naruto and I will go see who that chakra presence belongs to." He stated. I nodded. "There are about a half mile away from the looks of it, and they are gaining speed fast." He looked towards Naruto, who was pushing himself up. "If anything happens…I want you to scream." He added.

I narrowed my eyes. "You want me to what?"

"Scream." He repeated.

I starred at him for the longest time, starring into his deep blue pools. "..Ook..." I said unsurely, still thinking about his order. I was an 18 year old ninja, not some 3 year old who just witnessed her first jack-in-the-box. I shook my head and got to my feet, taking out a kunai. "Ok." I said more confidently. "I will…um..."

"Scream…" he finished when I paused.

"Right…scream…" I bit my lip. This was abnormal, maybe he knew something I didn't.

"But only if you are in absolute danger…." He added once more. "Only if your life is truly threatened, and you can't take care of yourself." His eyes flickered to the man still sitting. "And if he is dead."

The man's eyes widened. But he said nothing…not that he could…

Sasuke turned to Naruto. "If we get split up, and you hear her…I want you to get back here as soon as possible, if your in the middle of a fight, stop. And run."

Naruto was taken aback by his request. "Ya…um…ok." He said slowly, giving me a questioning look. I just shrugged.

He was the captain of this mission after all, what he said goes.

"Ok Naruto, why don't you go on ahead. I will catch up."

He nodded, giving me one more look before disappearing into the night.

I watched as Sasuke turned to me, a look on his face that I couldn't quite explain. It was pained, and yet eager. He had changed over the years; he had grown taller, he was more muscular and built, making him look more like twenty three than his actually age of nineteen. He wasn't as thick headed either, he thought about his actions before just assuming that because he was Sasuke, he could handle it.

I had lost him to orochimaru, only to have him back in my arms, the horrid man long dead. He had come back on his own, no force. Konoha was hesitant to take him, but he _had _killed Orochimaru, one of our enemies, it took the elders some convincing, but eventually he was reinstated as one of Konoha's top Ninja, and to team kakashi.

At first it was hard. He had left us, believing his revenge was more important then friendship. But we were more than willing to let him into our hearts once more. It was awkward at first; it felt like we were strangers. We all knew things would never go back to the way they were. That part of us was gone, buried underneath all the hate, betrayal and love that our young hearts once held, but a new friendship was made, and we grew closer than anyone had ever thought possible.

It was almost like a happy ever after…a few months after his return, I was yelling at Naruto for being stupid like usual. When he just took my face in his cold hands, and kissed me passionately. Since then, we had been dating. We rarely showed our feelings when we were in public, but sometimes he would let me hold his hand, and if I was lucky a kiss on the cheek.

So I wondered now, as I looked at him, why he wasn't coming closer, embracing me. It wasn't because of the old man, whose eyes were watching us both intently, it was something else entirely. Something that scared me to no end.

"Sasuke…" I whispered, furring my brow. I watched as he started towards me, his steps even and graceful. Until he stood right before me, his hot breath fanning my face.

He reached up and took a lock of my hair into his hand, closing his eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply. I was scared. Why was he doing this? When he opened his eyes I gasped. They were red, no longer holding their once ice blue tone. "Sasuke what are you-"

I was cut off as his lips crushed my own; the hand that once held my hair was behind my head, pushing me closer to him. This kiss was unlike anything I had ever experienced before, it wasn't full of lust like most were, nor love, but…regret. When he let go, I unconsciously leaned closer to him, wanting more. He pushed me back and starred into my eyes. Then…he was gone.

I narrowed my eyes at the tomb. I should have known right then that something awful was up, and deep down, I was sure that I did. I should have gone after him, tried to stop him, the old man be damned. I chuckled to myself and got to my feet. I could sense a presence moving closer. I narrowed my eyes.

Right on schedule…

I sat boredly by the old man beside me, he really wasn't much company. They had been gone for almost and hour and the silence was eating me alive. I could sense the presence of the unknown man circling the area. I wondered why Naruto and Sasuke hadn't stopped them yet. I hoped that they would hurry up, I was getting tired and hungry, and the old geezer was starting to fall asleep.

I felt it all at once, first the chakra that had been running around in circles like a chicken with its head cut off vanished. But it was replaced by a deadly aura, then; I felt hot breath run down the back of my neck, sending chills up my spine.

Sasuke ran ahead of Naruto, jumping from one limb to the next. He was getting sick of following this man, he wished that he would just stop and fight them, instead of running around like a mad man. Naruto had surprisingly been silent thought-out this whole escapade, that he was more then grateful for. An image of a certain pink haired female soon entered his mind. He knew this would hurt her more than anyone, but it had to be done. And she would get over it…just like the last time.

He stopped on a branch as the man's chakra disappeared. He was puzzled, and his eyes darted frantically around them. It was time.

"Hey where did-"Naruto stopped short as a shadow of a man emerged from behind a tree. The hair on the back of his neck stood up as his eyes grew wide. "Kisame…" he growled though gritted teeth. "I should have known…"He watched as Sasuke looked around, he knew who he was looking for, but it was obvious that he wasn't there.

His attention was turned back to the blue skinned 'man' as he burst out in a fit of laughter, his gruff voice filling the area. "So nice to see you again too kyubi." He stated. He turned to Sasuke; the expression on his face was a mix between fear, hate, and confusion.

The shark laughed again "Looking for your brother are we?" he asked.

Sasuke glared. "Where is he?" the shark man just smiled and shrugged. "I asked you a question!" he screamed. "Where is that bast-"

"Why don't you ask your girlfriend?" he smirked. "Itachi is smarter then you think Sasuke, he had your little plan figured out before you did."

Sasuke glowered; he squeezed his hands together, his knuckles going white. "You're lying…what would he want with-

An earth shattering scream then ripped though the forest, making them all fall silent.

"What…the…hell!" I hissed, while gasping in between breaths. Long green vines were wrapped around my limbs, pinning me to the ground. I had been struggling for quite sometime to get free, but it was only draining my energy. The old man was nowhere to be found, the vines had taken him before I could even get up, whoever had been behind me was now gone, but the deadly aura remained.

I felt a bead of sweat run down the back of my neck. I could feel someone's chakra just a few feet behind me, but I couldn't turn my head, or my body for that matter. The vines grew even tighter, causing me to gasp. I hoped my scream was loud enough; I was starting to think that this would be the end for me.

"Stop struggling, you're only making your death faster then intended."

I froze. That…voice. It sounded like someone was dragging their nails down a chalk board. I grimaced and looked up from my position on the ground. My eyes growing wide with fear. I was met by a two faced creature, it had two colors, one side black, the other white. He seemed to be engulfed by some kind of strange plant, reminding me of a fly trap. The last thing I noticed was his black cloak, covered with red clouds.

By this point, all words had left my mind, I couldn't grasp the fact that an Akatsuki was standing before me, and my teammates were nowhere to be found, and then there was the fact that I was completely immobile. Even if I wanted to use my chakra to break through the vines, I couldn't, because I didn't have enough. It was like someone had just taken my chakra, leaving me empty and drained. The only explanation would be Kisame, and his stupid sword of his. I found it strange though, since Itachi was Kisame's partner, not this mans.

"Things are going so smoothly, I would hate to have everything go bad now, just because of your stupidity." He grumbled. _"If you're good, I might just not eat you…"_

I narrowed my eyes. Was that…a second_ voice_? What the _hell_ was this guy?

Before I could contemplate on an escape route, I felt the vines slowly loosen, giving me the opportunity to wiggle free, and I took it. I pulled the vines down my body and crawled away from them. I sat down and panted, that had taken a lot of my energy, just getting away. I sat there and starred up at the man with shock. He had just let me go.

"And so…" he started _"it begins."_

Naruto starred at Sasuke's back as he took off into the forest, towards Sakrua's voice. He fisted his hands. Had he really just left him alone with Kisame? The one who planed to take him back to head quarters, to extract the beast that was inside him? To kill him? He shook his head and growled.

All for Itachi…all from his revenge.

"It seems like your friend has abandoned you. Or he has high expectations of you, or he doesn't give a rat's ass whether you die here." He chuckled.

"Shut up!" he countered. "He just knows that it wouldn't take much for me to kick your ass!"

Kisame rolled his eyes. "Oh? Well then your both a lot stupider then I originally thought."

Naruto glared, taking out a kunai. "We will see about that…"

Kisame grabbed his sword and swung it before him. "Bring it on kid…" he muttered.

Naruto took off towards him, but before he attacked, he pivoted to the left and took off in the direction Sasuke had gone.

Kisame stood there bewildered. "The hell…" he muttered, while looking after him. "well…didn't see that one coming." he growled while chasing after him.

I tried pushing myself to my feet, but couldn't. My breath was getting heavier as I finally recognized the chakra. It was Itachi. Itachi was here…in the same square mile as me…he was going to take Sasuke away from me again.

God I wished I hadn't screamed I wish I wouldn't have been so utterly stupid. The vines were slowly creeping towards me, the man connected to them just trying to press my buttons. I watched as the vine slowly wrapped around my ankle, dragging me forward, and then letting go.

"y-you…bastard…" I hissed.

The man merely shrugged, while the vine wrapped around my thigh, but before he could pull me forward, I felt a presence beside me on the ground. I turned my head and froze.

This was it…Itachi Uchiha…

I starred into his red eyes, I knew I should look away, but I couldn't. His eyes held nothing, no emotion…no feeling. He simply starred back at me blankly. I watched as his hand came up, wrapping itself around my neck, and pulling me to my feet. I couldn't move at all, I couldn't whimper, cry or blink. All I could do was stare at him, and hope that deep inside him, he had some sort of compassion.

He was very attractive, though I would never admit it out loud. He looked more mature and mannish then Sasuke. They looked so much alike, and yet so different. I cringed as I was slammed into the tree behind me, my feet no longer touching the ground as he starred into my jade pools.

It was then that I realized how much I hated this man before me, how much I loathed his existence. It was his fault that Sasuke was the way he was. Things could have been different…they would have been different. But he killed Sasuke as a child; he ripped out his heart and stomped on it, only for the mere satisfaction of seeing how strong he really was.

"You…sadistic…b-bastard." I croaked.

He did nothing, his face remained impassive, his hand didn't get tighter, he didn't activate his Mangekyo Sharingan. He just continued to stare at me. And it was making me nervous, it was making me start to shake, my hand that was wrapped around his started to shake slightly, whether it was from fear, exhaustion, or rage, I didn't know.

Then, everything seemed to get a lot worse all at once; I felt Sasuke's chakra coming towards me, followed by Naruto's. That meant that they were still alive, and that I would be too. My boys would save me…they would kill this man and they would save me.

At that moment, I realized what I was thinking. I was a ninja, and I was practically, begging for my life. What had I worked for all these years? What had I promised myself I would be? Only to have this man before me take it all away. Sasuke wasn't here to save my, he was here to kill him. Naruto shouldn't be here either; he should be running away…he knew what they were here for…

I narrowed my eyes suddenly. "Get your hands off me!" I screamed. I found the strength, I pried his hands from my throat, I wasn't sure it was all me, I thought I felt him just let go. I was dropped to the ground on my hands and knees. I looked up at him and growled, while pooling my chakra to my right fist, intent on smashing his skull, but my fist only met air, and my face then met dirt. _Hello dirt…._

I groaned and fell limp.

"You are naïve." Came a soft velvety voice, one I could only picture a Greek god having, but it wasn't a god, it was Itachi, a cold blooded killer. "Did you actually think that you could kill me? Or were you merely just testing the water?"

I felt my face go red. He was making me look like a fool. And I wasn't going to take it. I got to my feet, with sudden strength that a few moments before I didn't have. "You stupid son of a bitch!" I growled. "You already ruined his life, why do you have to keep coming back when things are almost better? When it seems like he's forgotten!" now I knew, I was shaking from anger. Pure rage. I wanted this man dead. I gathered more chakra into my fist. I knew I was no match for him, but if I could get one good hit on him…

Before I could even move, I was paralyzed again, my eyes locked to his.

"He will never forget kunoichi; he will always remember me, what I did." He raised his hand and wrapped it around my neck, once more shoving me into the tree. His face was right in front of mine, I could feel his breath warming me. "You are incompetent to think otherwise." He stated slowly.

"Itachi! This is the end for you!"

We both turned around to see Sasuke standing above us, a long sword like weapon in his hand. His eyes were no longer the ones I remembered, they no longer held emotion…they were empty...just like Itachi's.

I was making progress…I was making him feel once more. But now…everything I had done…. Was gone.

Itachi said nothing for a moment; he just starred at his younger brother. "Nothing has changed with you Sasuke." He started. "You are still useless…a child." He turned back to me. "I will save him kunoichi…if you make me a promise." He whispered. "He will only hurt you in the end…"

I saw that Sasuke was trying to contain his rage, trying not to lose control. Sasuke would never hurt me again; he would never leave me for revenge. He loved me…he was _in_ love with me. Things would get better… I shook my head slowly when I realized tears were streaming down my face.

"In two years, I will come to you, and ask for your help. You must promise to say yes, no matter what it is…"

I narrowed my eyes. "Like I would help you!" I growled. "Sasuke would never hurt-"I stopped. The pain was unreal, the searing hot pain that flooded my stomach ripping up my body like I was struck with lighting. It was unlike anything I had ever felt. Itachi let go of my throat. I begged myself not to look down, but I did. A long sword was going through my midsection, blood dripping to the ground, the sword had first gone though Itachi, then me, pinning us to the tree.

"Promise me." He whispered into my ear. He didn't sound like he was in pain, he sounded like an arrogant man, knowing he was right. Knowing that I knew he was right.

"I…promise." I whispered back, sobbing to myself. I felt the sword slowly ease out of me, letting me fall forward onto him; he gently laid me on the ground. His eyes starting to spin.

I watched as he stood up and turned to Sasuke. My eyes starting to close as I heard the sound of birds, Sasuke's Chidori.

"You would kill her, just to get to me little brother?"

The words I heard next would forever haunt me.

"It would be worth it."

I…I was nothing to him. I never was. I never will be. I was a no one in his eyes, a weakling._ Nothing._

I saw something in Itachi's eyes then as he faced his younger brother.

Pain.

"Now, I see little brother. What you've become. "He took a step forward, the sword that was covered with our blood was still in his hands, his new choice of weapon. "You don't deserve to be the death of me. But you deserve to die."

And with that, it was over. Sasuke's life. My life. Life. I watched as he feel to the ground, the sound of his chidori canceling, the sound of his blood spilling from the hole that was now in his chest, the sound of my heart dying. He looked at me, our eyes meeting. And for an instant, I saw what could have been, I saw the small child that was happy…that liked playing ninja, the one that loved. I saw someone that never existed, and never would.

It was over. He wouldn't have to feel pain any longer; he wouldn't have to strive to be something he wasn't. He could rest…

I heard…the sound of his last breath, leaving his body. I saw the color in his eyes darken; I heard the last words on his lips.

"Kill him."

I starred across the empty meadow in which I stood. I had chosen to have him buried here. Alone. Where he should be, out in the middle of the forest. I could see Itachi now, making his way slowly towards me. Kisame had stopped and was on the edge of the woods. Waiting.

I wondered what he would ask me, I wondered what I would have to do.

I took one last look at the grave stone. And I knew right then what he would ask. I knew that he would give me the burden that Sasuke once held.

He stopped before me. We starred into each others eyes.

"Kill me…" he stated.

"I will."

R&R


End file.
